SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
This invention relates to a mop head assembly, and particularly to a mechanism for attaching a floor engageable cleaning member to a rigid head element carried by a mop handle. The invention is especially concerned with the attachment mechanism.
The conventional mop assembly comprises a rigid head element located at the lower end of an elongated handle, and a replaceable cleaning element attachable to the rigid head element by means of two or more screw-nut assemblies. Usually the cleaning element comprises a deformable porous sponge member having a rigid backing plate or sheet. The attachment screws extend between the backing plate and the rigid head element.
One problem with the use of attachment screws is that such screws can loosen as the mop head assembly is moved back and forth over the floor surface. Another difficulty is that the attachment force is concentrated at the screws; load forces shift back and forth at an angle to the screw axes so that the connections between the screws and the sponge backing plate can, over time, weaken or fail.
The present invention relates to a mop head assembly having an adhesive connection between the head element and the replaceable pad-type cleaning element. The adhesive connection is designed to avoid problems associated with the screw type connections used in the prior art. Also, the cleaning pad assembly can be a low cost disposable structure readily replaceable on a mop head after a single usage, so as to achieve a high degree of sanitation not possible with reusable constructions.
In one preferred form of the invention, the mop head assembly comprises a rigid head element having a flat lower surface and a cleaning element pad having a flexible attachment sheet permanently affixed to its upper surface. The attachment sheet has a coating of a contact adhesive thereon, whereby the cleaning element pad can be releasably attached to the lower surface of the rigid head element.
The adhesively-coated attachment sheet has edge tabs that can be extended upwardly along the peripheral edge of the rigid mop head element and onto the upper surface of said head element. The edge tabs enhance the adhesive attachment action of the attachment sheet. When it becomes necessary or desirable to remove the cleaning element pad from the rigid mop head element the attachment sheet can be torn or peeled away from the head element without undue effort. A new replacement cleaning element pad can be adhesively attached to the rigid head element quickly and easily.
Specific features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the attached drawings and description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention.
In summary, and in accordance with the above discussion, the foregoing objectives are achieved in the following embodiments.
1. A mop head assembly comprising:
a rigid head element having a flat lower surface, a peripheral edge, and an upper surface; PA1 a floor treatment pad having a flat upper surface; and an attachment sheet permanently affixed to the pad upper surface; PA1 said attachment sheet having edge tabs adapted to extend upwardly along at least the peripheral edge of said head element; and PA1 said attachment sheet and the associated tabs having a coating of contact adhesive thereon adapted to be adhesively attached to at least the lower surface and peripheral edge of the rigid head element. PA1 a rigid head element having a rectangular plan configuration defined by two longitudinal edges and two end edges; PA1 said head element having a flat lower surface spanning said longitudinal edges and said end edges; PA1 a floor treatment pad having the same plan configuration as said head element; PA1 said pad having a flat upper surface adapted to register with the lower surface of said head element; PA1 and an attachment sheet permanently affixed to the pad upper surface; PA1 said attachment sheet having two edge tabs adapted to extend upwardly along each longitudinal edge of the head element onto the head element upper surface, and a single edge tab adapted to extend upwardly along each end edge of the head element onto the head element upper surface; and PA1 said attachment sheet and the associated tabs having a coating of contact adhesive thereon adapted to be adhesively attached to engaged surfaces on the rigid head element. PA1 a head element connectable to a handle, and a floor engageable member releasably attachable to said head element; PA1 said floor engageable member having a flexible attachment sheet adapted to partially wrap around said head element; and PA1 said attachment sheet having a coating of contact adhesive thereon engageable with the head element.
2. The mop head assembly, as described in paragraph 1, wherein there are six tabs spaced around said pad.
3. The mop head assembly, as described in paragraph 1, wherein each said tab has a length that enables the tab to extend upwardly beyond the peripheral edge of said head element and onto the upper surface of said head element.
4. The mop head assembly, as described in paragraph 1, wherein said head element has a rectangular plan configuration defined by two longitudinal edges and two end edges; and said tabs comprising at least two tabs adapted to extend upwardly along each longitudinal edge of said head element.
5. The mop head assembly, as described in paragraph 4, wherein each tab has a length that enables the tab to extend an appreciable distance along the upper surface of said head element.
6. The mop head assembly, as described in paragraph 1, wherein said pad has a rigid backing sheet permanently affixed to said attachment sheet.
7. The mop head assembly, as described in paragraph 1, wherein said pad has its upper surface directly affixed to said attachment sheet.
8. The mop head assembly, as described in paragraph 1, wherein said attachment sheet is formed of a plastic material.
9. The mop head assembly, as described in paragraph 1, wherein said attachment sheet is formed of a relatively thin plastic sheet adapted to form a crease, whereby said plastic sheet is enabled to conform to an edge surface of the head element that is normal to the head element lower surface.
10. The mop head assembly, as described in paragraph 1, wherein said attachment sheet is formed of a relatively thin sheet material having the ability to conform to angularly related surfaces without forming gaps at the juncture between such surfaces, whereby the attachment sheet tabs are enabled to readily bend around corners formed between the edge of said head element and the adjoining head element surfaces.
11. A mop head assembly comprising:
12. The mop head assembly, as described in paragraph 11, wherein said pad has a rigid backing sheet permanently affixed to said attachment sheet.
13. The mop head assembly, as described in paragraph 12, wherein the upper surface of said pad is directly affixed to said attachment sheet.
14. A mop head assembly comprising: